My View: Unions strive to build the best

Saturday

Aug 16, 2014 at 7:00 AM

We spend a lot of time griping about Illinois, much of it with good reason. Interestingly, however, Illinois is slightly ahead of the national curve in one area: infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) publishes an annual report card on the nation’s infrastructure, and while the country received a D+ overall, Illinois was graded at a C-. That’s passing, if only barely. The ASCE further estimates that the U.S. needs to invest a staggering $3.6 trillion by the year 2020 to ensure our infrastructure is safe and usable. Unfortunately, given our current political climate, spending such a sum is unthinkable.

However, with what construction we are able to do, we will obviously want to get the best bang for our buck. When a union contractor is the low bidder and receives a public works contract, we can be confident that we are receiving the highest-quality work. Not only are the men and women of the building and highway trades highly trained in cutting-edge building techniques and technologies, they are held accountable for their performance and provide a vital support to the weakened middle class.

But unions are more expensive, so how can they be the low bidder without skimping somewhere?

When it comes to public works projects, labor costs fall under prevailing wage laws first established at the federal level in 1931 through the Davis-Bacon Act. Without dissecting arguments for and against prevailing wage — economists are strongly divided on the issue — this means that no matter who builds a taxpayer-funded project, whether unionized or not, the labor costs will be the same. This prevents bidders from undercutting one another and allows them to focus on quality and efficiency. And when the projects are done by the building and highway trades, there are well-established programs and policies in place to assure high-quality work. They also bring generations’ worth of experience to the project.

For starters, every tradesman must complete a four- or five-year apprenticeship program, and even after becoming a journeyman, they continue to attend ongoing educational programs to keep their skills sharp. Many white collar professions have similar educational requirements; it’s perfectly reasonable to expect the same of the people who build our shared environment. You don’t get such a guarantee elsewhere.

Additionally, trade union members must continually demonstrate that they deserve to be on the job, and they do not support a seniority system. If a worker of any experience level isn’t bringing his or her best to the job site, they are removed and sent for additional training. Given the high degree of precision that’s needed on complex projects, it is encouraging that sites are managed with such a keen eye towards safety, quality and accountability.

I know these sentiments will strike some as highly controversial. However, many of the biggest projects happening in our area today, both public and private, are being done by members of the trades, and many of our community’s most iconic structures are union-built. Whether you’re enjoying a show at Starlight Theater, exploring Burpee Museum, or accompanying a loved one to the Regional Cancer Center for state-of-the-art treatment, you are in a space that was built by union labor.

Infrastructure isn’t sexy, but it is the backbone of a prosperous society. Our investment needs are immense, and right now it’s difficult to see how we can do more than muddle through the crisis. But at the very least, because of their tireless efforts to build the best, we can be proud of the work done by the men and women of organized labor.

Tim Watkins is executive director with Project First Rate. Project First Rate was founded in 1983 and is made up of 15,000 highly trained union contractors and union craftsmen who represent more than 20 locals and organizations. This partnership promotes union work and allows members to demonstrate a dedication to improving the Rockford region.